To celebrate the launch of the GoodGym partnership with Raleigh, six of us ran and cycled back to the gardens at Sobraon House, in Elm Road, Kingston, this week to finish the job we started.

After lots of clearing, cutting back and pulling down tonnes of a fast-spreading vine which was smothering all the trees and blocking the light, we now had the daunting task of bagging up all the garden waste.

After our brisk run there, we used secateurs and garden shears to chop it up, easily filling three large haulage sacks. We also continued to clear dead shrubs, broken pots and furniture dumped around the estate to try and improve the environment for the residents in the retirement blocks.

Thankfully we had a much drier evening and were then able to enjoy a glorious run back to our base along the River Thames , all feeling great about what we had achieved and enjoying the setting sun. And on our way home we enjoyed a little chocolate treat thanks to Raleigh - delicious!

A big warm welcome to Julie on her first mission with GoodGym - so lovely to meet you. Hope to see you on another task soon.